On Visualization...

Since I started running in high school, every coach I've ever had has recommended visualization. Now, I have a pretty good imagination, and a half decent memory. I have run the Boston Marathon twice now (2010 and 2011), and parts of the course are still pretty vivid.

I can clearly recall the "home stretch" after turning onto Boylston Street. By my estimate, it is somewhere between 600m and 800m to the finish line... definitely over 400m because I was pretty tired in 2011, told myself I'd be done in 2min once I made the turn, and I definitely was not even close.

So, for most of the workouts I've done in 2014, I've "practiced" this finish for the last 600m. Last week's 8x800m repeats was no exception. I was pretty good for the first 2/3 of the workout, but as I got tired, my ability to project the finish line of the Boston Marathon onto the track faded. This got me to thinking... mainly because I needed something to distract (sorry, "motivate") me for the last two repeats if I was going to stay on pace.

The problem with visualizing the same thing over and over again during the workout is, well, you don't often run through the finish line of the same race 8 times in one day... or even twice for that matter (note: in my mind, the finish line in a track race is just a line until the bell lap). So, while visualization is good, I needed visualization variety. Other things to visualize... obviously other parts of a 26.2-mile long race, or maybe even finish lines of other races.

However, what came to mind was an event that is permanently burned into my brain from Heartbreak Hill in 2011. I had gone out way too fast (first half of a marathon PR), and was dead by mile 18. So, this meant that I was really dead by mile 21+ and going up a hill. I must have looked pretty pathetic (photographic evidence would later prove this correct) because a man who looked old enough to be my grandfather ran past me, turned back around, and said:

"Come on, we'll both get our medals."

This was probably the saddest, most motivating thing that anyone has ever shouted at me during a race. It did get me moving again, and it continues to get me moving again. First lap of the next repeat was a bit slow... out pops Grampa Ghost Runner telling me to pick it up... like Garmin's virtual training partner. He did a good job too for this workout, even when I got a cramp in my side on the last repeat... although I'm blaming the 5sec slowdown on the fact that I was wearing Under Armour tights.